Background First Silesian War

prussia s claims

brandenburg–prussia s claims in silesia based, in part, on 1537 inheritance treaty between silesian duke frederick ii of legnica , hohenzollern prince-elector joachim ii hector of brandenburg, whereby silesian duchies of liegnitz, wohlau , brieg pass electorate of brandenburg if silesian piasts should become extinct. @ time, habsburg king ferdinand of bohemia (silesia s legal overlord) rejected agreement; nevertheless, in 1675 great elector frederick william of brandenburg laid claim silesian principalities when, death of duke george william of liegnitz, piast line ended.

in 1603, hohenzollern elector joachim iii frederick of brandenburg inherited silesian duchy of jägerndorf cousin, margrave george frederick of brandenburg-ansbach. however, after bohemian revolt , outbreak of thirty years war, catholic holy roman emperor ferdinand ii confiscated possessions of protestant hohenzollerns in bohemian lands after winning battle of white mountain in 1621. electors of brandenburg continued, nevertheless, assert legitimate rulers of jägerndorf.

brandenburg, however, unable enforce these dynastic territorial claims. in 1685, when austria engaged in great turkish war, emperor leopold gave elector frederick william immediate control of silesian exclave of schwiebus in return military support against turks , surrender of outstanding hohenzollern claims in silesia. however, after accession of elector s son , successor, frederick iii of brandenburg, emperor took control of schwiebus in 1694, asserting territory had been assigned late frederick william life. furious, frederick iii in turn reasserted old hohenzollern claims jägerndorf , silesian piast heritage.

austrian succession

maria theresa of austria c. 1744, martin van meytens

forty-five years later, opportunity arose brandenburg–prussia press these claims, when habsburg emperor charles vi died in 1740 without male heir. pragmatic sanction of 1713, charles had established eldest daughter successor hereditary titles, , upon death duly became ruler of archduchy of austria, of bohemian , hungarian lands within habsburg monarchy, archduchess maria theresa. during emperor charles’s lifetime, pragmatic sanction acknowledged imperial states, when died promptly contested several parties.

the newly crowned king frederick ii of prussia saw in austria s succession crisis opportune moment seizure of silesia. historians have downplayed importance of family s antique claims in region in frederick s decision invade; province populous , industrialized, yet economic factors seem not have weighed heavily in prussian attack. rather, geostrategic considerations played leading role: frederick believed (correctly) prince-elector frederick augustus ii of saxony, ruled poland in personal union, interested in taking control of silesia connect 2 realms 1 contiguous territory surround brandenburg.

after emperor charles s death on 20 october, frederick resolved strike first; on 8 november ordered mobilization of prussian army, , on 11 december issued ultimatum maria theresa demanding surrender of silesia. in return, promised acknowledge pragmatic sanction , give vote elector of brandenburg in imperial election maria theresa s husband, duke francis stephen of lorraine. not waiting response, led troops across lightly defended silesian frontier on 16 december 1740, beginning first silesian war.